In Darkest Light
by Doctor Kay Strange
Summary: Princess Zia has never felt ready for the crown. Now with her Selection to worry about, her anxieties come to the surface, and she finds her life falling apart. [Male SYOC]
1. Celebration

Sunrise was Zia's favourite time of day.

It was before the palace awoke, before anyone could come bother her about her various duties. Before she became a princess. It was the only quiet moment she had in her hectic life. But that morning she awoke with a massive knot in her stomach.

She watched the sun appear over the distant horizon. A bright glow, spreading golden rays across the sky. The darkness turned orange and rose, amber and red. Birds twittered in the gardens bellow, as if heralding the arrival of the star. The cool morning breeze almost made Zia shiver, but the sun was quick to warm her. She watched the sun appear on the horizon, brightening the sky with orange and rose hues. Her skin tingled as the sun's warmth spread through her body. Birds twittered in the gardens below, which carried the floral scent all the way up to her balcony.

A small moment of peace.

When the sun had fully risen, she left her balcony. The windows in her room allowed for plenty of light to stream in. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, she closed her eyes and tried to calm her mind.

"Light of the sun, light of the world. Come shine through me. Guide me with your light and let me shine forth for others." Her skin tingled as the sun's warmth spread through her body. She clasped her hands together in her lap and murmured, "Zor the Radiant, hear my prayer. I ask you to grant me the strength and courage to cast out fear and worry from my mind. Let my faith be stronger than my fear."

She exhaled. Her shoulders relaxed as she finished the prayer. _A pure heart and clear head allows the light to flow_, her teacher, Arran, would say. The unease she felt began to diminish, like waves pulling away at low tide. Light flickered around her, swirling in indistinct patterns. She didn't open her eyes. As Arran said, eyes were not needed to sense the magic of the gods.

No sooner had the calm settled when the door to her bedchamber was flung open with a bang.

"Morning, Zee!"

Zia flinched, her concentration shattered. The light dissipated. "Would it kill you to knock?" She didn't bother hiding the annoyance in her voice.

Cress shrugged. "Probably."

Zia could only sigh as she stood, dusting herself off. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Come to greet you 'Happy Birthday' obviously," her younger sister replied.

Zia rolled her eyes. "Thanks," she said. "I was kind of in the middle of something, you know."

Cress ignored her. She caught her reflection in Zia's mirror and adjusted her dark braid. "So, are you excited for tonight?"

"Don't remind me," Zia said. She sat down on her bed, hugging one of the many pillows piled on top. The worry she had worked to dispel was returning, knotting in her chest.

Her eighteenth birthday should have been a joyous celebration, but today she was dreading it. Her Selection was to be announced later that evening, at her birthday ball. It would involve two things she despised: public speaking and parties. The mere thought was enough to send her into a panic.

Cress didn't seem to share her thoughts. "Oh, come on. You don't think it'll be fun to have twenty-four boys fawning over you?" she teased.

"Not really," Zia said. "It sounds like a nightmare. I don't know how Dad got through his."

"You'll be okay," Cress said.

Zia raised her eyebrows. "You sound so certain."

"And you're not?" Cress sounded incredulous. "You need to be more confident in yourself, Zee. I know I am. There's nothing you can't do."

Her heart swelled. "Thanks, Cress."

"Anytime." Cress straightened. She grabbed the pillow from Zia. "Come on. Let's get breakfast. I'm starving."

"No, thanks. I'll just take breakfast here."

"Don't be lame, Zee," Cress rolled her eyes. "You hardly show up for breakfast anyway."

"Well, yes, but-"

"Nope." Cress hit her with the pillow. "Let's go."

Zia was too tired to argue. With a sigh, she reluctantly changed out of her pajamas and left the room with her sister.

Zia hardly understood why her parents insisted on having family breakfasts rather than family dinners like normal people. She supposed nothing was "normal" if one was a member of the Imperial family. She liked being awake in the morning, but it was still too early to be dealing with people. Luckily, her talk with Cress instilled some confidence, though she didn't particularly feel like being reminded of the various chores that needed to be completed today.

Breakfast was in full service by the time they arrived in the dining room. Zia's stomach rumbled at the sweet scent of bacon and toast.

She went to greet her parents first. "Good morning."

"How nice of you to join us," said her father, raising his eyebrows. Emperor Elior had already finished his food, indicating that she was late.

Zia cast her eyes away from him, feeling herself flush. "It's a special day," she said defensively.

"Don't mind him. He's just feeling old." Empress Abriana stood and hugged her. "Happy Birthday, dear."

Zia awkwardly hugged her back. "Thanks, Mom."

Her mother held her at length, teary-eyed. "It seems like only yesterday I was still singing you lullabies and changing your diapers."

"O-okay." Zia pulled away. She did not want to hear Abriana wax poetic about her childhood, though her mother insisted that the flowery speech was a signature of the Risonans.

Zia grabbed a cup of orange juice from one of the servants and sat down next to her youngest sister. "Hey, Sen."

"Morning," she chirped. "Happy Birthday!"

"Thanks." Zia eyed the stack of pancakes her sister seemed intent on drowning in chocolate syrup. "You'll get sick if you eat that much chocolate."

"Chocolate is good for you," Sen insisted.

Cress made a face. "Gross, Sen."

The youngest princess ignored them, stuffing a piece into her mouth. "You're gross."

"Manners, Senara," Elior reprimanded absentmindedly.

Sen puffed out her cheeks but chewed the rest of her food quietly. "I don't have lessons today because of the ball," she said when she finished. "Can we hang out later?"

Zia smiled at her enthusiasm. "Sure," she said. "Girl's day. Cress?"

Her sister grinned. "Definitely."

Abriana leaned forward, her dark hair swinging. "Zia, remember we have a photoshoot later at four thirty," she said. "I've asked your lady's maid to prepare all your dresses."

"And I need to see you in my office when you finish breakfast, please," Elior piped up as he was standing to leave.

Zia's face fell and she suppressed a sigh. "Yes, of course," was all she could say. Relaxation, even on her birthday, was far out of her reach. She should have stayed in her room.

"But what about us?" Sen demanded. "You just said we were going to hang out."

"Oh, right," said Zia.

It was only nine in the morning and her schedule was completely full. As per usual.

"She will help you get ready after she meets with me," Elior promised. "We'll be quick."

Sen looked satisfied at this. Zia tried not to let her shoulders slump as she finished her breakfast.

* * *

The Emperor's study was always a comforting place for Zia. Light streamed in through the massive windows, warming the rich, dark wood. Hours and hours of her life were spent there, studying under her father's tutelage.

He smiled when he entered the room, turning from the window. "Ah, there you are," he said. "I have something for you. Your birthday present." He gestured to the black velvet box sitting on his desk.

Zia raised her eyebrows. "No offense, Dad, but you don't exactly have a track record of giving great gifts." Last year, he had given her a stuffed dog, which she had asked for when she was seven.

He laughed. "I think you will find this one to be much more suitable."

Zia opened the box. Her breath caught. "Wow."

A gorgeous tiara sat in the case, glittering in the sunlight. Diamonds were twisted into the gold in delicate designs. It seemed to be resembling the rays of the sun.

She glanced up at her father, eyes wide. "It's beautiful."

"And it's yours."

"Thank you," she said.

Emperor Elior cleared his throat, his golden eyes boring into hers. "Zia, I hope you realise what this crown represents. I know you've had a lot on your plate lately, and with the Selection coming up, there's a lot of pressure. There is a great responsibility that comes with being the heir to the throne."

She swallowed. "I know, Dad," she said.

She was reminded about it every single day. She noticed the tired look on her father's face in the evenings, when the energy-giving sun disappeared. She saw his shoulders slouch when he thought no one else was looking. It seemed like he relied on his magic to keep up the energy of running an empire. He wasn't alone, of course. He had his advisers and the other governments to help shoulder the burden.

His face softened. "I have complete faith in you, Zia," he said. "You'll be a great empress one day."

Her stomach clenched. He had such high expectations of her. Everyone did. A nagging thought in the back of her mind told her that trust was unfounded. Wasn't it? She couldn't let him down. She was raised to be the perfect princess, so that's what she would be.

"Thanks, Dad." Her voice was dull in her ears. "I'll make you proud."

He smiled. "You always do."

Her heart sank.

"Now, I'm sure Sen is waiting for you," Elior said. "I'll see you tonight."

Zia only managed to nod wordlessly. Her father patted her shoulder before returning to his desk.

Dazed, she went into the hallway. Her fingers gripped the tiara case tightly. Did she even deserve such a gift? The burden of ruling was always going to fall to her, she knew that. She knew exactly what was expected of her. Everyone assumed she would be able to step into her father's place easily, but she hesitated to confirm their beliefs.

Preoccupied with her thoughts, she didn't realise that she was on a collision course with another figure.

"Arran!" She stopped short, nearly dropping the box in surprise.

Her teacher was dressed in his usual white robes, dark hair neatly combed. Despite her lingering worry, she felt herself relax in his presence. He smiled at her, eyes glittering with their usual mirth. "Your Highness," he said, bowing. "Happy Birthday."

"Thank you."

"What's that you have there?" he asked, gesturing to the box.

"Oh, it's a birthday gift," she replied, "for the ball tonight." She looked at him hopefully. "I don't suppose you're coming."

Arran chuckled. "No. It's not really my scene," he said. "But, judging by the look on your face, you're absolutely ecstatic."

She didn't miss the teasing note in his voice, but her anxiety spiked nonetheless. She gripped the box tighter.

Arran seemed to sense this. "What's the matter?" he asked, his voice turning soft.

She hesitated. "I just…I'm a bit nervous is all," she admitted.

"That's perfectly understandable," he said. The teasing in his voice vanished, switching to a gentler tone. "It's a lot to handle, being the heir and everything that comes with that."

It was the second time she had been reminded of that in a single hour. "I know that," she said, biting back a snap.

"Of course you do," said Arran, his voice ever calm. If he sensed her growing irritation, he didn't mention it. "It can be difficult to cope with so much pressure. But if we cast our anxieties on to the gods, then they will guide us through all our troubled times." He smiled. "Have faith."

She did have faith. It was all that kept her together these days. She prayed every morning, just like Arran taught her. She practiced her light magic in the hope that it would guide her. Yet the pull to the light never felt so far away.

_Zor, help me_, she thought.

* * *

As hundreds of elegantly dressed guests arrived, the palace was abuzz with excitement. The rustle of opulent gowns and bespoke suits was drowned out by noisy conversation. Dancing heels clicked against the marble flooring of the ballroom, while crystal chandeliers sparkled overhead. Servants rushed back and forth with dishes, frantically trying to set them in place.

It was all too much for Zia's taste.

She stepped away from the dance floor. Her feet were aching from Prince Matteo stepping on them for the part ten minutes during their dance. It didn't help that she had been wearing heels all night. Her ball gown, a soft white thing decorated with gold, trailed behind her as she made her way over to the side of the room.

Cress grinned at her. "Seems like you were having fun there," she teased.

Zia resisted the urge to take off her heels right there and then. "I thought Incegans were supposed to be good dancers."

Her sister laughed. "Prince Matteo tried his hardest, I'm sure," she said. "He was probably just flustered by how beautiful you look."

Zia tucked a stray curl behind her ear, feeling the tiara settled in her hair. "Thanks, Cress. You look great, too."

"Don't I always?"

Zia laughed at her boldness.

Cress was gorgeous, of course. Her dark hair was braided back and decorated with gold stars. The gown she wore was slimmer than Zia's, coloured in the same white and gold that represented their house, Eyos.

Cress' teasing smile disappeared when their father approached them. He wore a pristine suit. The golden sun emblem on his lapel glinted in the light of the chandeliers.

"Hey, Dad," Cress greeted.

"You look like you're about to cause trouble," Elior said, eyes twinkling.

Cress shrugged innocently.

Elior smiled and turned to Zia. "Are you ready?" he asked.

Far from it. Zia clenched her firsts into her gown to prevent them from shaking. She pushed her worry down. "Of course."

Cress gave her arm an encouraging squeeze and Zia forced a smile. She took her father's proffered arm. He led her to the front of the room. As soon as they stepped onto the raised platform, the crowd fell into a hushed silence. Their eyes went to the emperor. And to her.

Zia tucked her shaking hands behind her back, her heart racing.

"Ladies and gentlemen, if I may have your attention, please," Elior said. "On behalf of the entire Imperial family, I'd like to thank all of you for joining us on this very special night. My daughter is now eighteen, and I am proud to present her to you as the future Empress of Leirra. In her preparation to ascend to the throne, she will be honouring one of our most ancient traditions."

Zia's throat closed as she stepped towards the microphone. She shook all over. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Cress and Sen giving her encouraging smiles.

_Breathe_, she reminded herself. She forced her shoulders to relax, though the shaking didn't stop.

"Citizens of Leirra, I am honoured to announce that I will be hosting a Selection in a month's time." Her voice was surprisingly calm. "I invite all eligible young men in the Empire between the ages of eighteen to twenty-one to participate. Two men will be selected to represent their kingdom and compete for my hand. I wish all hopefuls the best of luck, and may the gods be with you all."

The crowd erupted into applause, but Zia could not hear it over her thundering heartbeat. Elior nodded approvingly. Her entire body felt heavy, muscles frozen and tight but her mind screamed at her to run away.

Run.

She couldn't.

Despite the heavy weight of the crown, she raised her head and smiled.

* * *

**A/N: Hey y'all! It's been a hot minute but I am BACK! This is a project I had in storage for years but I never really knew what I was gonna do with it. So why not turn it into a Selection story? And with the help of some friends, I did exactly that. Since this story doesn't take place in Illéa, there's gonna be some worldbuilding stuff that you'll have to get used to. Anything not expositioned in the story will be on my profile. I'm also working on a site that will hopefully give you more details, so PM me for more info!  
**

**Just a few rules before we get started: **

** \- No flawless characters. People are not one-sided. We have flaws and different facets. Don't be afraid to have fun with your character's personality, but make sure they're still flawed. **

** \- Diversity! Just because it's a fantasy land doesn't mean the population is homogenous. The kingdoms were based off of real world places that you can use as inspiration.**

** \- No overpowered characters. Magic and powers exist but that doesn't mean everyone has mastery over them. You're always welcome to run your character's powers by me first if you're unsure. **

** \- Keep your character's age in mind when deciding their job. The maximum age is 21 so someone being a CEO of a company is too far of a reach. Recent graduates or university students are expected, and I'm totally cool with that. **

** \- Once your character is submitted, I can do whatever I want with them including eliminating them, killing them, etc. If anything bad happens to them, you won't come after me with pitchforks. **

** \- Please fill out the form with lots of detail. The more detail the better! More detail will probably get your character further in the competition. **

** \- PM ONLY! You can PM me the form on FF or on Discord, but I will not accept guest submissions. **

** \- Have fun! Stories allow us to do whatever we want for fun, so go wild!**

**As a writer, I reserve the right to reject a character if I feel the form doesn't meet my standards or if they are too overpowering in a story setting.**

**OK I think that's all lol. Submissions will be open for a while so no rush! Love y'all see you later!**

**\- Kay **


	2. Lessons

The announcement of the Selection stirred the whole Empire into a frenzy. Excitement seemed to pour out of every street and every conversation. People waited with bated breath for the names of the Selected to be announced and to see their princess' reaction.

Of course, the Imperial Palace was at the core of the madness. Everywhere Zia turned, the Selection was all the staff could talk about. It may have been her imagination, but it seemed like there were ten times more people at the palace. And the Selected hadn't even arrived yet.

She managed to avoid everyone by hiding out in her room, only leaving for meals, meetings, or her lessons with Arran. It helped settle her nerves when she was alone.

Abriana called her into meetings the most. She was as giddy as everyone else, happily reminiscing about the last Selection. She was appointed as Zia's Selection co-ordinator. Zia wasn't sure she wanted her mother meddling in her love life, but it was hard to stop a force like the Empress.

Walking into her mother's office, Zia's back stiffened at the sound of dozens of people talking. Servants crowded around Empress Abriana with papers and questions.

"Your Majesty, what do you think of this colour?"

"Your Majesty, I need your signature on this security form."

"The Coronnale Report is asking for an interview with the princess. Again."

Zia stood in the doorway awkwardly. Maybe she should have returned to her room. Abriana looked busy.

Unfortunately, her mother spotted her right at that moment. She shooed away the last of her staff, managing the questions with an easy grace around her silver dress. Soon, the office was empty except for the two of them.

"Hello, dear," Abriana greeted cheerfully. "Sit, sit!"

Zia sank onto the couch across the desk. "Is everything all right?" she asked.

"Perfectly," Abriana chirped. She tucked a strand of hair back into her elegant bun. "There's so much to get done before the Selected arrive. We're just trying to finalize the instructors for their training. Protocol, history, politics, not to mention mastery of their magic."

"Did you have to do that during Dad's Selection?" Zia asked curiously. She forgot that her Selected wouldn't just automatically acclimate to royal life. The calm poise she always put on felt almost natural at this point. Almost.

"Yes. Not the most interesting thing, but it does help in the long run." Abriana shuffled the papers on her desk. "We've asked Professor Kendry back to teach politics."

Zia tried not to make a face. Tonio Kendry was her old constitutional law teacher. A true Pensaman, he pursued academics his entire life. She got along with him well enough, but he was a strict teacher, assigning piles of essays and assignments.

"I'll be teaching protocol," Abriana continued. "And Master Ivar will be in charge of teaching magic and history."

Zia's brow furrowed. "Arran?"

"Yes. The Selected will be joining you and Cress in your daily lessons."

"What?" Zia sputtered. "Why?"

Abriana looked puzzled at her outburst. "Well, seeing as he is already in our employ, and he is familiar with training multiple types of magic. It's quite convenient."

Zia wrung her hands together. Training with Arran and Cress was something she genuinely enjoyed, a constant in her increasingly busy life. She didn't want to give up that comfort.

"One last thing," said Abriana, changing the subject. "Your father wants you to start engaging with the public more."

Zia's stomach dropped. "What?"

"You know, making more public appearances."

She wanted to protest that she _did_ make public appearances, but that was simply untrue. When she was younger, having no say in the matter, her parents took her out all the time. Parties with other kids, visiting foreign castles, attending temple services in the city. As she grew older, she opted out of most events. She didn't like parties, and she preferred solitary prayer. Her birthday ball had been something like torture.

People used to be endeared by her shyness. A sweet and demure princess who hid behind her father's legs when the cameras were pointed in her face. Now it was strange.

"You'll do some volunteering, visit schools and hospitals," her mother continued. "We'll also be sending you as a representative of Coronnale at events. Just because you're young doesn't mean you don't have duties. It's important for you to establish a good image of yourself."

Zia clenched her hands. She wanted to snap that an image of herself was all that she was, a picture-perfect princess. But she held her tongue. "Won't I be too busy with the Selection?" she said instead, clamping down on her sudden frustration.

"You'll go with the Selected to these events," Abriana reasoned. "Besides, you haven't been outside of the palace in a while. It'll be good for you to get out of your comfort zone."

She wrung her hands, squeezing so tight it hurt. It was one thing to step outside of her comfort zone, and another to be pushed out entirely. Really, she was ridiculous how much she didn't want to go out. It should have been a simple task to talk to people, to smile and wave, to be a princess.

Why was it so hard?

Zia stood suddenly. "May I be excused?"

Her mother stared at her. Reading emotions was not one of Abriana's powers, but the way her brown eyes bore into Zia sometimes made her think otherwise.

"Of course," she said softly. "I'll see you at dinner."

Zia didn't bother telling her she wouldn't be attending.

* * *

"I don't see what the big deal is. It sounds like you're in for a fun time." Cress' voice was hushed in the training hall.

The morning after her meeting with Abriana, Zia told her sister about her new duties for the Selection. She didn't tell her about her reaction to it, there wasn't time for that. But unlike her, Cress was excited by the idea of travelling outside the palace. Cress didn't have a problem with crowds.

Zia thrust out her hands in front of her, light sparking. "For you, maybe. I'm not a big fan of being outside with people," she muttered.

Cress laughed. "Zee, you hardly even go outside."

"We're outside right now."

"Focus, please," Arran said, his voice reprimanding. He had his back turned to them as they went through their stances, though he obviously didn't miss the way they talked the whole time.

As per her usual schedule, Zia had her lessons with Cress. If the Selected were going to be invading their training sessions, she might as well make the most of the peaceful days that remained, despite the heaviness on her mind.

The training hall had a calming aura about it. Perhaps it was the courtyard walls that secluded them from the rest of the palace, open to the sky above. Flowerbeds lined the central ring. Fountains stood on either end of the courtyard, clear water flowing into the pools.

Zia's boots turned on the stone and her body bent into the form automatically.

Cress moved with her, arms raised in front of her face. "This doesn't count as outside," she whispered. "Anyway, there are more important things you should be thinking about."

"Like?"

"Like which Selected will be your perfect husband!" she exclaimed. Too loudly.

Arran turned and glared at them. Cress had the decency to look sheepish. Zia flushed.

They moved into the next stance in perfect synchronisation. Fluid and graceful, the movements were as natural as breathing. Zia exhaled, relaxing her shoulders. She and Cress drew their hands upward at the same time as Arran. Golden orbs of light materialized in front of them.

"I bet you the hottest guy will be from Incego," Cress said under her breath, drawing Zia's attention.

She stifled a laugh as she tried to concentrate on her magic. "Does that really matter?"

"It should obviously be your biggest priority."

Arran cleared his throat and the sisters' attention snapped to him. "You are aware I can hear everything you're saying, right?" he said. "We're supposed to be training."

"Sorry," said Zia, feeling a twinge of guilt.

"We're discussing something very important," said Cress, tossing her dark braid over her shoulder.

"We're really not," Zia said.

A look of amusement flicked across his face. "I suppose it's unsurprising. The Selection is all anyone seems to talk about now."

"As they should," Cress retorted. "Why aren't you excited? You get a bunch of new students."

Arran shook his head. "If I was excited, you still wouldn't find me chatting during lessons. There will be plenty of time for gossip later. Perhaps we should say a round of prayers to calm ourselves, settle our minds."

Cress made a face. "Don't use your temple voice, Arran," she said. "It makes you sound old."

"I am old."

"You're only thirty-two," Zia pointed out with a laugh.

"Yet training the two of you has made me age twice as fast."

"No wonder all you do is sleep all day." Zia was unable to stop herself from poking fun at him.

Cress burst out laughing.

Arran rolled his eyes but there was a glint of humour in them. "All right, that's enough," he said. "Form up on opposite sides of the ring. Since we're obviously unable to focus on stances, perhaps sparring will let off some steam."

Cress groaned. "Fine."

Neither sister was particularly in the mood for a sparring match, too distracted in their own way, but they nonetheless took up positions from each other on the centre ring.

"Ready!" Arran called.

Zia dropped into a fighting stance, one foot sliding behind the other. A tingling warmth spread through her fingers as her magic stirred. Cress stared at her determinedly, her own hands twitching in anticipation. Zia shivered slightly as the temperature around the hall dropped.

"Begin!"

Cress moved first. She thrust out her hands, an icy white jet bursting from her fingertips. Zia's hands flew upward, and a blazing fire followed. The ice disappeared with a hiss of steam.

But Cress was unrelenting. She waved her hands again, this time shooting massive shards of ice. Zia dropped into her practiced forms as her mind took over. Her movements quick and precise, she pulled flames into the air to block shard after shard, stepping ever closer to her sister.

She threw her hands forward, the fire mimicking her movements as it streaked towards Cress.

Cress quickly raised her hands to defend herself. Ice crystallized on her arms and instantly vaporized.

Ice was not the only magic she possessed, and Zia saw her sister's mindset switch. Cress planted her feet. Raising her hands, the earth erupted around them. They solidified into stones and hurtled towards Zia.

She reached for her other magic, too. Sparks erupted from her hands and she willed the lightning into a shield around herself. The rocks exploded against the electricity.

As the debris flew, Cress spun on her feet. Her arms swung out, expertly directing the stones back at Zia.

Zia gritted her teeth and pushed the lightning shield outward.

Cress yelped, quickly summoning a pillar of earth that grew underneath her. From her position above Zia, she launched a block of stone.

Running forward, Zia pushed off the ground. Her boots touched the boulder, propelling herself higher. She gathered her magic again. As she turned in the air, she slammed her hands together, releasing a blast of light. It struck Cress' left side and she flew backward with a yell.

Her hand shot out, clumsily creating a slip of ice. She rolled to the ground with a grunt.

Zia landed in a crouch, her magic building in her hands. She let go of the light and it barrelled towards Cress, bright and dangerous. With no time to dodge, Cress hurriedly summoned the earth to surround herself in a rocky shield.

"Stop!" Arran called.

Zia released her grip on her magic and the light dissipated. Breathing heavily, she watched as Cress' shield receded into the ground.

"Ugh, not again," she grumbled. "That was unfair." She didn't seem to be injured, more annoyed than hurt at Zia's last ploy against her.

"Was not." Zia crossed her arms huffily.

"She's right," Arran said as he helped Cress stand. "Combat magic is an art. It requires improvisation and flexibility."

"Yeah, yeah," Cress mumbled, brushing herself off. "You always say that."

"Because you never seem to learn," he said. "Your attack choices are predictable. All earth and ice; I didn't see any light magic from you."

Most people only aligned with one form of magic. Zia and Cress, like most other members of the Imperial family, had multiple alignments.

"It's hard," she protested.

"I _know_," he said. Light was his own alignment, after all. "That's why we practice."

Cress merely let out a huff of defeat.

Arran turned to Zia next. "Good control, as usual, though you should stop relying on your defensive techniques too much. Striking first might allow you to gain the advantage faster."

Zia rubbed her hands together. "Sorry."

"Don't be," he said. "I know you know what you're doing. You should trust yourself more."

He was talking about training, of course, but Zia's stomach clenched all the same. Arran sounded like her mother did last night. Disappointed.

Arran drew her out of her thoughts before they could spiral any further. "Let's try that again. Ready positions."

Zia let out a tired sigh. Cress, on the other hand, rolled her shoulders, ready to try her hand at beating her again.

"Begin!"

* * *

**A/N: Happy New Year! A little late but I hope you had a great holiday season! I really wanted to get another chapter out before I started the winter semester. Hope you enjoyed it! ****I'm definitely going to try and update as frequently as possible, but I probably won't have a solid update schedule, just because life tends to get in the way. **

**On another note, I'm going to set the due date for all forms for February 7, so hopefully you have plenty of time! You can totally reserve a spot; there are still plenty available! Thanks to everyone who submitted forms.  
**

**Thanks for reading and reviewing! Love y'all!**

**[EDITED: 27/03/2020]**


	3. Friend In Need

**Thanks to sevenzeroseven for beta-reading this chapter because I am _staggeringly_ incoherent when I write. I appreciate you very much  
**

* * *

With the Selected announced, there was nothing to do but wait. Or worry, in Zia's case.

The palace was a hectic disarray in preparation, with photographers and journalists hounding the gates. Inside, it was just as chaotic. Rooms were being redecorated, suits being tailored, and guards being trained. Zia avoided the workers at all costs. Her schedule had been rearranged to include dress fittings and history reviews, among other things.

Though they became few and far between, she finally got a moment to herself after reading the daily reports with her father. It was the end of the week, which was normally when she had her weekly movie night with her sisters. For now, though, she had time to relax. She was in her parlour, lazily lying on the couch while the TV blared in the background. The sun was setting outside. She wished more days were like this. Once the Selection started, she doubted she would ever get a chance to slow down again.

A sudden noise made her jump. Her phone, in its bright yellow casing, was ringing cheerfully. Dread quickly manifested in her stomach at the thought of answering it, but she brightened when she saw the name on the screen.

"Hi, Tal."

Prince Atalen Strovos grinned at her through the screen. "Hey, Zia!" he greeted. "How's the Selection prep going? Are we excited?"

Definitely not. But aloud, she said, "Sure, I guess."

"Enthusiastic as ever," he noted. "I saw you announce the Selected yesterday. Gotta say, you've pulled a good group. Cute, too."

Zia laughed. "They're _my _Selected, Tal. They're not for you to flirt with."

"Lame." He puffed out his pale cheeks. "Where's the fun in a Selection if you don't share?"

She shook her head. "Not the point," she said, though she couldn't help but laugh.

"Fine, be that way," he said dramatically.

Zia leaned back on the couch. "So, when are you arriving here?"

"In a few days, probably," he replied. "Helping my dad with some new healthcare bills, and then I'm out of here."

"Thank the gods for that," Zia said.

When she first extended an invitation for her friends to join her at the palace for the duration of the Selection, she'd been worried she was coming off as too needy. They were busy, after all! But Tal had been quick to accept, though she wasn't sure if it was to help or because he wanted to ditch his responsibilities.

"Have you heard from Yona recently?" asked Tal. "She's supposed to come, too, right?"

Zia shrugged. "I've tried ringing her, but she won't answer. Last I heard, she was still trying to convince her dad to get her out of active duty to come."

Yona, princess of Noruna, was one of Zia's close friends, though she hadn't seen much of her ever since she started her military service.

"She'll get him on her side," Tal said confidently. "A Selection doesn't happen every day, after all."

"I hope so," Zia murmured.

"Don't worry, we'll be there to help our with your great crisis."

"Very funny."

A knock at the door made her glance up. "Oh, I have to go," she said to Tal.

"Alright," he said. "I'll talk to you later. Fair winds, Zee."

She echoed the Odiran farewell before he disconnected the call.

"What took you so long?" Sen demanded when she opened the door.

"Sorry. I was talking to Tal."

"Are him and Yona still coming to visit?" asked Sen.

"Yes," Zia said. "Well, Tal will be on his way in a few days, but I haven't heard anything from Yona since my birthday."

"Yona's scary," Sen commented offhandedly as she sat down on the couch.

Zia frowned. "I thought you liked Yona," she said, confused.

"I do," her sister replied simply. "She plays dress-up with me because you won't. But she's in the military, so she's scary."

Zia stifled a laugh. "I suppose that's true."

"Hello? Are you in here?" Cress' voice called through the open door.

"In the parlour," Zia called back.

Cress entered the room. "Gods, that was so boring," she declared, dramatically flopping down on the couch.

"Where have you been?" asked Sen.

"In class." Cress made a face. "You'd think Dad would cancel them with the Selection going on."

"If anything, that's more incentive for him to keep you in class," Zia said teasingly.

Cress made a face of mock offense. "And miss all the fun with your boyfriends? That would be tragic."

Zia laughed.

If she was being honest, Cress' presence was a welcome one. Her sister was far better at talking to people. She needed to learn a thing or two about that.

"Are these the Selected's files?" Cress asked. Her eyes were bright as she reached for the stack of files, ignored, on Zia's coffee table. "Have you taken a look at these yet?"

"No, I haven't had the time." That was a lie. She hadn't wanted to do it. The thought of meeting two dozen boys—strangers, no less—was both exhilarating and terrifying.

"You really should. Don't you need to know who these guys are?" asked Cress.

Yes. Elior insisted that doing prior research to a meeting showed that she had taken the time and effort to know what was happening. Most of the Selected's important information was on their files—their name, kingdom, and occupation. Those were enough for conversation topics, Zia thought. Or, maybe it was too formal. But if she showed up to meet her Selected without even knowing their names, she would look stupid. The boys would want to leave after that.

This Selection was going to be a disaster.

"Ooh! I like him!" Senara squealed suddenly.

Zia jolted out of her thoughts, turning her gaze to her sisters, who were now perusing through the forms.

"Ronin McKellen-Landry," Cress read. "Isn't he that pianist guy?"

Sen gasped, offended. "He's only one of the greatest pianists in Leirra today! His interpretation of Kollek's 'Festival' Concerto is the most beautiful thing I've ever heard." She looked like she was going to swoon.

"His Baranov Sonata in F Minor is pretty good, too," agreed Zia.

"I can't wait to meet him," Sen said dreamily. She whipped around to face her eldest sister. "Promise me you won't eliminate him right away, okay? Please?"

Zia laughed. "Alright, alright."

"Maybe you can all play a song together," said Cress, though she didn't seem as impressed as they were. She flipped to another form. "Oh, here's the other Selected from Risona."

"Cavon Newport," Zia read over her shoulder. "His family owns a theatre."

"Is he a musician?" Sen asked excitedly.

Zia shrugged. "I don't know. It just says he's a stage manager."

"Hmph. I still like Ronin more."

"Maybe you'll like him more." Cress held up a photo of a redhead.

"I like his hair," Sen piped up.

"Rory Faulkner, from Odiros." Cress skimmed the file. "He works as a travel agent, but he also has a degree in biology. Smart."

"And handsome," added Zia.

"Oh?" Cress wiggled her eyebrows at her. "Do we have a favourite already?"

"What? No!" Zia protested. "I haven't even met him yet."

"We'll give it time," said Cress with a smirk.

Zia could only shake her head in mild exasperation.

"He looks familiar," Sen said, pointing to the next form.

Zia glanced at it. The young man did indeed look familiar. He had vaguely Surashese features, though the Pensaman emblem, a bronze quill, was stamped on the paper. "Arlo Rosales-Avila," she read. The recognition was quick to set in. "He's the Pensaman prime minister's son."

"Oh, that's why," said Cress. "He's cute, no?"

"No wonder Sofia had a crush on him," Zia said absentmindedly.

Cress' eyebrows shot up. "Sofia, as in Princess Sofia?" she asked incredulously. "Princess of Pensama Sofia?"

"Yes." Zia frowned, thinking. "I think they got into a fight about something. They stopped seeing each other entirely."

Cress gave a low whistle. "Wow. I didn't know you were so caught up in the goss, Zee."

"It was a while ago," Zia admitted. "I'm surprised you didn't hear about it."

"I guess I'm falling behind."

Sen looked confused. "So, why is he coming here if he's with Sofia?"

"They're not together anymore," Zia explained.

"Aw, they're not in love anymore?" Sen shook her head. "That's so sad."

"It happens. It's complicated."

"Don't date someone who makes everything complicated," said Cress. "There are more important things to dating someone. Like, how hot they are."

Sen giggled.

"I'm not sure if that's really the most important factor," Zia said, raising her eyebrows.

"You'll change your mind when you see someone like him," her sister said confidently, pulling out another form. She shoved the photo in Zia's face. "Look at him, Zee."

Zia leaned back, smothering her annoyance. "Who's he?"

"Jaxon Raze, Surashi. He's a nanotech student and intern at that CyBot company."

Typical for one from a nation of innovation like Surashi, Zia thought.

"Thoughts, Zee?" asked Cress, waving the papers in front of her face. "Tell me you agree."

Zia half-heartedly batted her sister away. "I don't know," she said. "Can we just watch a movie now?"

"What? But we have way too much to talk about!"

"Yeah!" agreed Sen. "I'm excited!"

"I don't _want _exciting right now," Zia said tiredly. The Selection hadn't officially started, but she was drained and exhausted. "We can discuss it later."

Cress protested, "But—"

"I said, later, Cress." She forced a firmness into her voice, hoping her sister would take the hint and drop the subject.

Luckily, she did. Cress closed her mouth, and Sen reluctantly went to pick a movie. It was a musical, one of Zia's personal favourites, but she was distracted.

Her eyes slid to the stack of papers.

She had a week before the Selected arrived, only a week to get her act together. When they arrived at the palace, a welcome banquet would be held, and Zia would meet them officially. It was _not _something she looked forward to.

Gods, this was her worst nightmare. Inevitably, she was going to say something stupid or embarrassing. She could practically imagine the Selected's reactions, always judging her. Her father said it was tradition to marry a citizen of the Empire because it was symbolic of binding the country together. For Zia, it was hardly about finding a husband anymore. The Selection was going to be a careful dance, to see how well she would perform with everyone's eyes on her.

* * *

The week passed in a blur. Zia struggled to be everywhere at once, running in between lessons, meetings, and dress fittings. Her father had given her a list of events she was due to speak at, which made her stomach churn.

There was one bright light in her week, Yona finally convinced her father to allow her to visit for the Selection. She arrived in the morning, hours before the Selected were due.

Zia couldn't help the massive smile on her face as she stepped into the grand entrance hall of the palace.

Yona had traded her military uniform for a light blue dress, making her look like an icicle. "Your Highness." She curtsied lightly, her eyes bright.

They had been friends for years now, and Zia had long since accepted her constant formality. "Hi, Yona."

Princess Yona beamed at her. "How fares the battle?" she said.

"Not great," Zia replied. "But I'm really glad you're here."

Yona took Zia's hands into her own gloved ones. "As am I."

Zia smiled, comforted by her friend's reassurance. "Come on, I'll show you to your room."

"Of course." Yona looped her arm through Zia's as they made their way up the stairs. "Where's Tal? I thought he was supposed to arrive before I did."

"He was," Zia replied. "He probably got distracted along the way."

"Of course, he did," Yona said, rolling her eyes. "So, tell me about the Selected. What do you think of the Norunans?"

Zia laughed. "I'll hold my thoughts until I meet them."

"Fine, keep me in suspense." Yona tossed her light blonde hair over her shoulder. "And, you're feeling alright?"

She sighed. "Nervous," she admitted. "I feel like I'm going to screw everything up."

Yona squeezed her arm reassuringly. "Don't worry. It's just a series of nerves."

Maybe, but the odd feeling in her stomach hadn't gone away. If it was a series of nerves, then Zia hated her nerves. In the past few weeks of planning, she had been as disjointed as the palace itself. Indecisive and overwhelmed, Zia nearly snapped at a servant days ago when he asked if she preferred the blue or red tablecloths. She needed to get her emotions under control if she wanted things to go right with the Selection.

"Let's go to the training hall," suggested Yona. "A good sparring session will get your mind off things."

"The Selected will be here in a few hours," Zia pointed out.

"And if they come early, they'll see that you could beat them in a duel. Come on!"

Zia laughed, her unease withdrawing. "Alright," she agreed.

It was a distraction for a little while, and Yona knew it would work. With the Selected arriving soon, Zia could do nothing but enjoy the normalcy she still had.

* * *

**A/N: Hello! How are y'all? Hope you're having a good time despite the current circumstances of the world! I'm really really sorry about the slow updates, I've just caught up with piano and school and my myriad of health problems. Thanks so much for putting up with my slowness. **

**Submissions officially closed on February 7th, but since I wasn't able to update, I wasn't able to remind you, so my bad lol. Anyway, I won't be taking in any more characters unless you can convince me. If you have a spot reserved, please get your character into me by April 9th because I can't write the next chapter without them. **

**I have a Pinterest (drkaystrange) where you can check out all the boards for my characters. If you're making a board for your own character, let me know so I can stalk, er, check it out. You don't need to share them with me, but you can if you like.**

**Thanks for reading, your support really means a lot! Now, if you'll excuse me, I must get to writing the next chapter while jamming out to Tchaikovsky.**


	4. Before the Dawn

**Trigger warning: anxiety attack **

**Once again, a massive thank you to sevenzeroseven for beta reading, and for putting up with my whiny ass as I wrote this chapter. Love you lots! **

* * *

It was too nice a day for something so terrible to happen.

The sun was shining, and the sky was a bright blue dotted with fluffy clouds. A gentle breeze rustled the trees. Zia wished she was outside. Anywhere else, really.

"Zia, please stop moving." Yona's tone was exasperated.

"Sorry."

They were in Zia's room, and Yona insisted on doing her hair before she met the Selected.

Zia twisted her ring–gold with diamonds in the centre–and tried not to squirm in her chair. She was due to meet the men in an hour, before the welcome banquet. She wasn't sure she would even survive until the dinner. All day, she had assured herself it would go fine, but now that it was almost time, she dreaded having to leave her room. Her stomach knotted, threatening to throw up the apples she snacked on earlier.

"If you don't stop fidgeting, we will never make it downstairs on time," said Yona.

"Sorry," Zia said again. "I'm just…I don't want to do this."

"You'll be alright. You've met my mother plenty of times, and you always handle that well."

"This is different," she insisted.

"I know. It's natural to be nervous, but you have nothing to worry about. Besides, I'll be there with you the whole time."

"That's true."

Yona offered her company during the one-on-one meetings with the Selected when Cress became too wrapped up in her lessons. Zia protested at first, but she was secretly relieved that she didn't have to the meetings alone.

"You never answered me earlier." Yona started a second braid on the right side of Zia's head.

"About what?"

"About the Selected. Tell me what you think about them before we meet them."

Zia had spent the past week reading, no, _scouring_, the forms, committing the details to memory so she could plan out and rehearse what she would say to them. She planned to ask Ronin McKellen-Landry, the pianist, what his favourite pieces were, and she could talk to Enzo Katou, a church trainee from Lunazo, about his training.

"Ah, you have nothing to worry about then," Yona said when Zia told her about the forms. "You clearly know what you're doing. And your Selected are more appealing than your last crush."

"What do you mean?" Zia asked, puzzled. "You know I don't crush easily."

"Except for my brother."

"I—" She started to whip around, forgetting that Yona was still holding on to her hair. Zia cringed. "I thought we agreed never to bring that up again."

Yona's blue eyes sparkled with humour, but she said, "You're right. I apologise." She stepped back. "There. Finished."

Zia stood, admiring the braids in the mirror. "They look great! Thanks so much, Yona."

"Always my pleasure. Now, let's go meet your Selected."

The fact that Yona was there with her made Zia feel slightly better, but the tight feeling in her chest returned as they drew closer to the Men's Parlour. She stopped suddenly, dizzy.

Yona looked at her. "What is it?"

Zia hesitated. "I…I can't."

A pause.

"Here," Yona said. She held out her hands. "A prayer will calm you."

Zia placed her hands in Yona's gloved ones, silent.

"Steady my hands, steady my heart. Lend me your strength and lead me to victory," Yona murmured.

Zia closed her eyes, hearing her pounding heartbeat. "Let peace return to this place once again," she finished. A long moment passed. When Zia felt her muscles relax again, she said, "Yona, that was a battle prayer."

"A prayer to bring calm," her friend corrected. She squeezed Zia's hands gently. "Not every battle is immediately seen."

* * *

The Men's Parlour fell silent as Zia and Yona stepped inside. Zia stiffened as two dozen sets of eyes focused on her. Coloured suits, bright eyes, tall and short, all blurred in front of her. Her hands started to shake, and she hurriedly stuffed them behind her back as she tried to compose poise into herself.

_Breathe_, she reminded herself.

Yona's voice, calm and cool, brought her back down. "Good afternoon, gentlemen. For those of you that do not know me, I am Princess Yona of Noruna, though I'm sure my friend here requires no introduction."

There was a mumble of agreement as she turned to Zia. A cue.

"Welcome to the palace," said Zia. Her voice came out more like a timid squeak. She hurriedly cleared her throat. "A warm welcome to all of you. Before the banquet dinner this evening, I'd like to take some time to meet with you individually, just to have a quick chat. I look forward to meeting you all."

The men exchanged glances amongst themselves and Zia tried not to hear them as she was escorted back into the hallway.

"That wasn't so bad," said Yona.

"Well, I still have to meet them," Zia pointed out.

"You're doing great. Come on."

The parlour down the hall was small and cosy, lit by the afternoon sun beaming through the window. A coffee table divided the couches facing each other. An attendant stood by the door, waiting to escort the Selected inside. Zia sat down on one of the plush couches and placed her hands in her lap.

"Are you ready?" Yona asked.

_No_. But it was too late to run.

Zia sighed. "As I'll ever be."

"Good." Yona nodded at the attendant by the door.

The first Selected walked in, an absolute giant of a young man whose dark hair rested around his broad shoulders. His suit, however, seemed to fit him perfectly.

Bear Harbinger, recalled Zia, from Evotera.

"Your Highnesses." He knelt quickly, touching his fingers to the floor, then straightened to his full height. A traditional Evoteran greeting, though the Imperial palace's floors were made of marble rather than the stone and earth of Evotera's.

"Good afternoon, Sir Bear," Zia greeted, gesturing for him to sit. He looked awkwardly large for the couch.

Yona leaned forward. "Your name is Bear? As in, Taloch's bear?"

"Yes." There was a slight exasperation in his voice and Zia had the feeling that he had heard that question too often. "And, before you ask, yes, it is my favourite animal."

She smiled. "Are you asked that a lot?"

"Too often." But he smiled, too. "What about you, Your Highnesses? What's your favourite animal?"

"I'm quite fond of the snowy owl," said Yona. "Very majestic creatures."

Zia wasn't sure she even had a favourite animal, but then Yona and Bear turned to her expectantly. "Lion." She blurted out the first animal that popped into her head. "I mean, lions are my favourite animal."

Bear nodded thoughtfully. "A good, strong animal," he said.

Zia wondered if she should have instead said the winged horse, the sacred animal of Zor, and the animal that appeared on her family crest. Should she have changed her answer?

The conversation had already shifted, however, when Yona asked Bear what he did for a job.

"I work on a farm," he replied. "Sometimes I get hired to do mining jobs."

An unsurprising answer, since Evoteran society basically revolved around agriculture. Bear looked the part, too, all height and muscle built to work in the fields. Zia wondered vaguely if the palace tailors had had to do lots of work for his suit.

"You represent your kingdom very well, then," she said.

That brought a wide smile onto his face. "Thanks. You do too."

She had no idea what that meant, but she smiled anyway. "Thank you," she said. "I'm afraid that's all the time we have. It was nice to meet you, Sir Bear."

After his large figure retreated from the room, she turned to Yona and said, "I have never felt so short in my life."

Her friend chuckled. "Welcome to my world."

"Was that weird, what I said about the kingdom?" she asked. She toyed with her ring. "I didn't mean to stereotype."

"It's fine," Yona assured her. "Besides, a farmer from Evotera is about as Evoteran as you can get."

The next Selected to walk in was tall, though not as tall as Bear. Haze Corentin, Zia remembered. From Temagano. His family was very prominent in the Temaganan court, though she only knew vague details.

"Your Highnesses," he greeted with a perfect bow. "Good afternoon."

"Hello, Sir Haze. Please, have a seat."

"Thank you," he said. "It's a pleasure to be here."

"The pleasure is mine," she replied automatically. She twisted the ring on her left hand. "Tell me a bit about yourself."

"Well, I'm studying to become a veterinarian," he said.

"That's very admirable. What's your favourite animal?"

He pondered this. "Oh, I'm not sure. But I love horses; I work with them a lot. Do you like horseback riding, Your Highness?"

Yona snickered but was quick to cover it with a cough.

Zia wasn't sure if she should have been embarrassed or annoyed at her friend. She didn't _hate_ horseback riding, per se, but she had given up on it after her old horse threw her. She was sure that horses despised her. Yona, Tal, and Cress, on the other hand, were expert riders.

"I haven't gone riding in a long time," she said instead.

Haze's face fell slightly. "Oh, that's a shame. Maybe we could go riding together sometime."

No, thanks. Zia was not getting on a horse ever again if she could help it. But she pasted a smile on her face, her hands wringing together. "Perhaps," she said. "It was a pleasure to talk to you, Sir Haze, but I'm afraid our time is up."

He smiled at her as he stood, grey eyes bright. When he left the room, Yona started laughing.

"Yona!" Zia cried.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry."

Zia huffed, trying to push the memories from her mind.

After Haze was Jaxon Raze, who was friendly and sweet, even when Zia had no idea what he was talking about with nanotechnology. Restless Rory Faulkner told her about his travels to Pensama and Surashi, reminding her of Tal. Miyaki Okono was polite, if a bit stiff and uptight, but the Selected who followed him was the complete opposite.

"Hello, Your Highnesses!" he exclaimed as he entered. His amber eyes were as bright as his voice.

Zia tried not to wince at the loud greeting. "Er, hello, Sir Augustus—"

"Oh, just call me Jack, princess." He leaned back on the couch casually, a grin on his face.

Zia set her hands back in her lap, not too surprised "Jack" hadn't bothered with the usual Coronnalean greeting. "A-alright, Sir Jack," she said. "Um, how did you get such an interesting nickname?"

"How did _you _get yours?" he countered.

Zia blinked. "It's just my name shortened," she said slowly.

"Fair enough." He shrugged. "Augustus is just a mouthful, y'know?"

"Er, yes, I suppose it is."

Jack's attention shifted to Yona. "What about you, Your Highness? Any nicknames? Yo-yo?"

Yona stiffened. "No," was all she said.

A laugh nearly burst from Zia, but she smothered it, toying with her ring instead. If Yona hadn't brought up her hatred of horses in front of Haze, then she wouldn't bring up her aversion to nicknames. The rest of her conversation with Jack went as smoothly as the name stumble, which was to say, not at all. She could tell he was being friendly, but she just didn't know how to respond.

So when Aster McKay walked in after him, a cool and dignified air around him, she decided to draw back and stick to a simple greeting.

Aster gave a perfect bow. "Your Highnesses."

Zia noticed Yona's eyes narrow ever so slightly. "Aster McKay, isn't it? I'm a little surprised to see you here."

"I was exempt from service just like you, princess," he said with a smile.

Zia glanced between them, surprised. Did they already know each other? Aster was also from Noruna, and she read that he was enlisted in military service.

"His mother is a general in the army," Yona explained as if she sensed Zia's question. "Do you remember General Cauldwell?"

Zia cleared her throat, forcing herself to speak up. "Er, yes. Your mother is doing well?"

"Yeah, she's great. Always really busy, though." He shrugged. "The most I saw of her was when I was doing training at Fort Arluq."

"Yes, I've heard…stories from my brother of your training days," said Yona.

What did _that_ mean? Zia glanced at Aster, but if he was bothered by the statement, he didn't show it.

"We all make mistakes in our early days," he said smoothly.

"Of course," Yona said. She quickly glanced at Zia. "I'm sure your control of your magic has gotten much better. You're aligned with fire magic, like Zia, aren't you?"

His eyes flicked to her, curious. "Really? That's awesome."

She nodded, fiddling with her ring subconsciously.

"But that's not your only one, right? I heard the Imperial family has a few."

"Light and lightning," she answered. "Cress is the one with the ice magic."

"You must be a great dueller," Aster remarked.

"She is," added Yona.

Zia fidgeted, flustered at the sudden praise. She managed to find her voice and politely dismiss Aster. Yona looked quite proud of herself.

Following Aster, she managed to have a few memorable conversations. Arlo Rosales-Avila was chatty, unlike Enzo Katou, who seemed to be falling asleep. There were others, too, who were too forward, or too silent. She kept a mental list of those she planned to eliminate, hoping they wouldn't hate her too much.

Her awkward conversation with Cavon Newport still hung in her mind when Rafael Vesta entered the parlour. He had a wide, jovial grin on his face. Even with his suit, she could tell he was athletic. Although all of the Selected were some degree of attractive, he was the first one that really struck Zia as, well, _hot_. Maybe it was just an Incegan trait.

"Hello, Your Highnesses!" He took Zia's hands, touching her fingertips briefly before putting his hand over his heart. "It is a pleasure to be in the presence of such beauties."

"Thank you, Sir Rafael." Zia smiled. Though his touch was warm, she was quick to pull her hands back to her sides before they started shaking again.

"Rafa, please," he insisted. He turned towards Yona. "Princess Yona."

She gave him a polite nod instead. "And what is it that you do, Sir Rafael?" she asked.

"I work with the University of Incego. Department of Anthropology and Archaeology," he said proudly.

"You're from Incego?"

"Yes, but I spend a lot of time travelling for my job. Never in one place for very long. Can't study Leirran cultures if you don't get to know the people in them, right?"

Zia nodded thoughtfully. "That's true."

He smiled, brown eyes falling to her. "Maybe I'll be staying in Âme de la Sol for a while."

"Well, now that you're here, maybe we could go see the city," she suggested.

"Or travel the kingdom!" Rafa said excitedly. "Do you travel much?"

"I'm afraid I'm too busy." Zia shrugged.

"That's a shame. The Empire's beautiful."

There was an earnest look in his eyes that made her glance away. "Perhaps things will change," she said. "But for now, our time is up. Thank you very much, Sir Rafa. It was really nice to meet you."

"And, you, Your Highness." He bowed again, the smile on his face bigger than when he'd entered the room.

Yona rolled her eyes. "What a flirt," she said. "He reminds me of Tal."

"He wasn't flirting."

"He was too flirting. And you were flirting back."

"I was not!" Zia protested. "He was just being friendly."

Yona shook her head. "Oh, Zia. You've met plenty of Incegans to know."

She opened her mouth to protest again, but the next Selected peered through the door, and she quickly composed herself.

Kai Torgrimson had a graceful air to him; Zia remembered that he was a figure skater. His polite distance forced her to look to Yona for help. Luckily, she was able to step in smoothly and encouraged him to talk about his recent championship title. Kai seemed to possess all of Rafa's intrigue, and none of his warmth.

As the conversations continued, some good, some more awkward, Zia felt exhausted. Try as she might but keeping up the appearance of calm was draining. Her composure was slipping, surely they could tell. She wanted to curl up in bed and sleep for the next ten years.

By some miracle of Zor, she finally, _finally_, made it to the last Selected, Titus Jansen.

"Hello, Sir Titus," she greeted. She hoped the tiredness didn't make it into her voice.

"Your Highnesses." He spread his hands out in front of him in that way Kamoans did when greeting each other. "It's great to meet you."

"And, you," Zia replied. "Please, tell me about yourself." Her voice sounded fake and robotic in her ears. Could he tell? She should have changed her tone.

"Ah, well, I love the beach!" he said enthusiastically. "I spend a lot of time there, at the surf shop and all."

"That's great," she said. She fidgeted with her ring. "Have you worked there long?"

"Couple of years," he answered. "Do you like the beach, Your Highnesses?"

Yona wrinkled her nose in distaste. "I'm not a fan, I'm afraid."

"I haven't been in years," said Zia when Titus turned to her. "But I'd love to go back. I remember the beaches in southern Coronnale are beautiful."

He brightened. "Yeah? You should see Kamo'ula's. My friends and I go island hopping and see some of the best places."

"That sounds so fun," she said genuinely. "I've never been island hopping."

"It is fun!" Titus' grin was bright. "Nothing but good friends, the open sea, and freedom."

Freedom. Zia faltered at Titus' earnest declaration. The idea of blue skies and exploration was too good to be true. Her parents had always given her space, but the independence came with the weight of expectation that trapped her mind.

Collecting herself, she dismissed Titus, and that was that. The interviews were finished. Zia collapsed on the couch, letting out a long breath.

"That tired?" Yona asked, amusement in her voice.

"I want to take a nap." She wrung out her hands, which were tingling as if she had dipped them in ice-cold water. "Sorry about forcing you to sit through all that."

"You didn't force me," Yona reminded gently. "It was quite enjoyable, in truth."

"Really?"

"Of course!" A gleam entered her eyes. "Now I know who to watch out for."

"Please try not to kill my Selected."

Yona sniffed indignantly. "I would never."

"You would fight them," Zia said, laughing slightly.

"For you!" Yona patted her knee. "Come on, we need to get ready for dinner."

* * *

The night made a good companion for her thoughts.

Zia had a dark piece of her mind that she pushed away during the day, doubt that gnawed at her insides when she tried to go about her life. The darkness watched and waited, and when she was self-assured, it broke from its chains and rampaged through her mind.

Although dinner had promised to be a vibrant, social affair with all the new presences in the palace, she ultimately opted not to attend, feigning sickness. The disappointed looks on her parents' faces almost made her regret it; she had told them she would go. But she said that about every party, every dinner, when she knew she would end up locking herself in her room because the pit in her stomach grew heavier and heavier.

Zia sprawled out on her bed; her chest was so tight it felt as if her lungs were being crushed. She was wide awake, still reeling from the afternoon's conversations. Some had been good, but she recalled most of them being so horrendous that she was certain the Selected would be annoyed the next time they saw her.

She told Haze Corentin she didn't like horses after he said he loved them.

She told Enzo Katou that it was daytime, forgetting that Lunazans had a nocturnal cycle.

She told Ronin McKellen-Landry that her little sister had a crush on him.

_Why did I say that? _

So many mistakes.

She rolled over, mussing up the blankets as she silently murmured a prayer to Zor. Surely he would hear her. Help her.

Her eyes fell to the window. It was the middle of the night. There was no sun, no light. Not for a while.

* * *

**A/N: First impressions chapters are tough, but it's done! I hope you enjoyed this quick look at some of the Selected, and the rest are sure to feature soon! **

**My update schedule just seems to be whenever, so I hope you're all okay with that. I'll def try and update as frequently as possible to try and bring some light entertainment to you while we're all stuck at home. **

**On a more serious note, you probably noticed already that this story deals a lot with mental health, specifically anxiety, which are quite heavy topics. If you aren't comfortable reading about it, I completely understand, but I wanted to make that absolutely clear before moving forward. **

**Thanks for reading! Next chapter will be very...magical ;)**

**\- Kay**


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